REFORMATION OF MANNers.

BY A PERSON OF QUALITY.
Written in the Year 1709.

To the countefs of BERKLEY *.

MADAM,

M

Y intention in prefixing your ladyfhip's name, is not, after the common form, to defire your protection of the following papers; which I take to be a very unreasonable requeft; fince by being infcribed to your ladyfhip, though without your knowledge, and from a concealed hand, you cannot recommend them without fome fufpicion of partiality. My real defign is, I confefs, the very fame I have often detefted in moft dedications; that of publishing your praises to the

*This excellent lady, was Elizabeth, the daughter of Baptift Noel, vifccunt Campden,

and fifter to Edward earl of Gainsborough.

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world;

world; not upon the fubject of your noble birth, for I know others as noble; or of the greatnefs of your fortune, for I know others far greater; or of that beautiful race (the images of their parents) which calls you mother; for even this may perhaps have been equalled in fome other age or country. Befides, none of thefe advantages do derive any accomplishments to the owners, but serve at beft only to adorn what they really posfefs. What I intend, is your piety, truth, good fenfe, and good nature, affability, and charity; wherein I wish your ladyfhip had many equals, or any fuperiors; and I wish I could fay, I knew them too, for then your ladyship might have had a chance to escape this addrefs. In the mean time, I think it highly neceffary, for the intereft of virtue and religion, that the whole kingdom fhould be informed in fome parts of your character: for instance, that the eafieft and politeft conversation, joined with the trueft piety, may be obferved in your ladyfhip, in as great perfection as they were even feen apart in any other perfons. That by your prudence

any

and management under feveral disadvantages, you have preferved the lustre of that moft noble family, into which you are graffed, and which the unmeafurable profufion of ancestors for many generations had too much eclipfed. Then, how happily you perform every office of life, to which providence hath called you: in the education of those two incomparable daughters, whofe conduct is fo univerfally admired; in every duty of a prudent, complying, affectionate wife; in that care which defcends to the meaneft of your domesticks; and lastly, in that endlefs bounty to the poor, and difcretion where to distribute it. I infift on my opinion, that it is of importance for the publick to know this and a great deal more of your ladyship; yet whoever goes about to inform them, fhall, instead of finding credit, perhaps be cenufred for a flatterer. To avoid fo ufual a reproach, I declare this to be no dedication, but merely an introduction to a propofal for the advancement of religion and morals, by tracing, however imperfectly, fome few lineaments in the character of a lady, who

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who hath spent all her life in the practice and promotion of both.

A

MONG all the fchemes offered to the publick in this projecting age, I have obferved, with fome difpleasure, that there have never been any for the improvement of religion and morals: which, befides the piety of the defign from the confequence of fuch a reformation in a future life, would be the best natural means for advancing the publick felicity of the ftate, as well as the prefent happiness of every individual. For, as much as faith and morality are declined among us, I am altogether confident, they might in a fhort time, and with no very great trouble, be raised to as high a perfection as numbers are capable of receiving. Indeed, the method is fo eafy and obvious, and fome prefent opportunities fo good, that in order to have this project reduced to practice, there feems to want nothing more than to put those in mind, who by their honour, duty, and intereft, are chiefly concerned.

But because it is idle to propofe reme

dies, before we are affured of the disease, or to be in fear till we are convinced of the danger; I fhall first shew in general, that the nation is extremely corrupted in religion and morals; and then I will offer a short scheme for the reformation of both.

As to the first, I know it is reckoned but a form of speech, when divines complain of the wickedness of the age: however, I believe upon a fair comparison with other times and countries, it would be found an undoubted truth.

For first, to deliver nothing but plain matter of fact without exaggeration or fatire, I fuppofe it will be granted, that hardly one in an hundred among our people of quality or gentry appears to act by any principle of religion; that great numbers of them do entirely discard it, and are ready to own their difbelief of all revelation in ordinary discourse. Nor is the cafe much better among the vulgar, efpecially in great towns where the profaneness and ignorance of handicraftsmen, fmall traders, fervants, and the like, are to a degree very hard to be imagined N4 greater.